Process of and apparatus for generating gas.



F. PFEIFER.

PROCESS 0F AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING GAS.

APPLICATION r|LEo1uNE1|,|911.

1,296, l l 5 I Patented Mar. 4, 1919.

FRANK PEEIEER, or MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, AssIGNon E ONEPEOUETH "ro GEORGE E. HovENDEN AND oiNE-EOURTHTO ANDREW EDWARD ERICKSON, Born OE MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA. y

zen of the United States, residing at Minnel apolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented anew and use'- ful Improvement in Processes of and Apparatus for Generating Gas, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide an improvedprocess and apparatus for generating gas from crude petroleum and in which Vboth the method and .apparatus are simple and eficient in operation.

With these and other objects in view, my invention comprises the improved method and apparatus which are hereinafter particularly described and claimed.

ln the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, Figure 1 1s a typical side elevation partly in section of the apparatus by whlch my improved process can be carried 'into practice; Fig. 2 is a sece tion taken on the line X--X of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a section ofl a detail of my -improved apparatus.

ln the drawing A indicates a detail of an internal combustion engine having the usual intake and exhaust valve fittings 2 and 3,

which .are adapted to be operated in the usual manner to allow the ingress of fuel 'mixture into the cylinder and the exhaust of the spent gases. Associated with the parts described are a fuel tank B for supplying.

heavy fuel oil, a gas generating chamber C and a scrubber or washer l). One end of the gas generating chamber-C is connected with a branch 4 leading from the exhaust duct 5,

- which latter is connected with the outlet of the exhaust valve fitting 3, so that a portion of the exhaust gases emanating from the engine are admitted into chamber C. A valve 6 in the main exhaust duct 5 can be used to check or partly cheokthe main egress of exhaust gases from the engine and cause any desiredportion thereof to be forced downwardly through the branch and into'the gas generating chamber. 'I he gas generating chamber is provided with a baflie wall 7 in the form ofY a perforated plate having pointed projections aagainstt which the oil from the supply chamber B 1s sprayed and broken up minutely into iine particles, which Specication of Letters Patent.

PROCESS 0F AND APPTUS FOR GENERATING GAS.

rammed Mar. A', icio.

Application led .Tune 11, 1917. Serial No. 174,007 i the gas generating chamber-by the* branch duct 4. The passage admitting the heavy Oil into the gas generating chamber is in the form of a small pipe 10 containing a controlling valve 11 and connected with the top 13 with the upper end of the cylinder A, so`

that a small portion of the -gases from the interior of the cylinder are caused to force othe heavy fuel oil upwardly and spray the same against the baiile wall in the gas generating chamber. The gas which is thus produced in chamber C by the thorough mixing 0f the fine particles of heavyA fuel oil and the exhaust gases from the engine are conducted by the passage 15 upwardly into the upper portion of the washer D through an elbow or seal 16, which depends downwardly into a bath'of water or liquid 17 contained in the washer. In this manner the gas is rid of objectionable impurities and is free to pass from the upper portion of the washerl having a small orice checks back pressure 'f 'upon the gas contained in the scrubber. An automatic valve 2O adjoining the valve 2 admits asuitable quantity of air to mix with thegas which is'admitted into the engine cylinderr A hand operable valve 21 is connectedwith the pipe '18 and is used for the purpose of shutting regulating the same.

lt will thus be observed that the heavy fuel oil is forced under the pressure of gases in the cylinder ofthe engine which is being operated into a gas generating chamber; where it is intimately united with exhaust gases from the same engine under pressure, and after the mixture thus formed is washed, it is mixed with air and admitted 'into the engine where it is used as a power propelllng medium. x Y

lln accordance withthe patent statutes, l

oii the supply of gas'or have described the principlesn of operationA of my invention, together with the appaf ratus which li now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but i desire to have it understood that the construction shown is only illustrative and that'the invention can be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above sei forth within the scope of the following elann.

Having described inv invention, what I.

claim new and desire t0 protect by Letters Patent is Apparatus for jenerating` gas, eonlprising, 1n combination. an internal combustion engine having valvetl fuel ingress and valved exhaust openings, a reservoir for holding heavy fuel oil connected by a passage with the combustion ehainber of said engine to force the oil ontl of said reservoir, a gas generating chamber connected with said reservoir and with the exhaust outlet of said.

engine whereby oil and exhaust gases are foi-ined into a vapor, said gas generating chamber 'being also 'connected by a duct with the valved ingress passage of said engine, and a. valved air inlet arranged to admit and iniX air with the vapor conducted by said duet int-0 the engine.

In testimony whereof I have signed my naine to this specification.

FRANK PFEIFER. 

